Antioxidative properties of phenolic compounds have long been shown to be a major barrier against lipid oxidation and oxidative stress. However, phenolic compounds have also the ability of reacting with carbonyl compounds, being their lipid-derived carbonyl-scavenging properties much lesser known than their antioxidative properties. Nevertheless, these properties can constitute a second defense to protect foods and living beings against the damage produced by lipid oxidation and oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to determine the structural characteristics of phenolic compounds required for exhibiting carbonyl-scavenging properties and to compare them with the structural features required for exhibiting antioxidative properties. By using model systems, the reaction of different phenolic compounds (including o-, m-, p-dihydroxy, and trihydroxy derivatives) with a variety of lipid oxidation products was studied and the produced oxidized lipid-phenol adducts characterized, therefore confirming that some phenols are able to scavenge lipid-derived carbonyl compounds. As a consequence of these reactions, the lipid-derived reactive carbonyls are removed from the media and their capacity to modify nucleophiles neutralized. In addition, the obtained results showed that the structural requirements for exhibiting carbonyl-scavenging properties were different and complementary to those required for exhibiting antioxidative properties, therefore suggesting that the main protective function of each phenol (or of a part of the phenol molecule in complex phenols) is determined by its structure.

Carbonyl-scavenging ability of phenolic compounds: A second barrier defense against the damage caused by lipid oxidation and oxidative stress

249th National Meeting (2015)

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